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I’m thinking about getting an ebike for my daily commute because I can stash it for free where I work downtown and enjoy a MUCH easier/quicker uphill trip in the evenings (I’ll be 60 next year, a mere shadow of the barrel-chested paragon of cardio-vascular excellence I was 10-15 short years ago). I’ve shopped a little, but I remain flummoxed by the variety of brands, features, battery configurations and prices.

I’ve spent a LOT less on perfectly good motorcycles and a used 4x4 truck! Actually, I’m willing to pony up for a great bike… but I’d just be guessing at what to get.

I’m open to ideas, suggestions and warnings. Good shops in Portland? Not so good? Types of bikes to try first? Types to avoid?

My only firm criteria is an adult size bicycle with 26” wheels (as opposed to smaller fold-a-bike rigs with 16-24” tires). I can haul *ss downhill (30+ mph) in the mornings and prefer rigs about the same dimensions as my conventional mountain and road bikes.

Pics and ideas welcome. Thanks in advance for whatever you can share!
 
I went through this with my wife last year, we looked at tons of e-bikes and finally we settled on an older two stroke bicycle. We got one that was in excellent condition for $200 off craigslist. It has an excellent muffler and while it does puff a little blue smoke it will easily do 35+ MPH up hill.

What we ran into is that if your looking at an e-bike, you really need lithium batteries because the lead acid ones weight too much if they happen to run down to pedal very well. Lithium batteries are expensive as hell though, a LI setup would have set us back over $1000 without the bike.


BTW if two stroke is a no go, I know that they make four stroke kits as well.
 
If you go electric, please promise me that every time you pull up next to a Prius that you give them a smug look and mouth "gas hog" at them.
 
They build hub models, I started studying them a while back. There are really only a few good hub manufacturers, and you have to be a student of the batteries needed to power them. The batteries are the most expensive part.

There are entire forums dedicated to them with threads that will bring you up to speed fairly quickly.
 
I hear that the Bolivians have a magic powder that allows one to march/pedal up mountains.. no electric motor necessary. true story.. look into it
 
Does "stash at work" = secure?

Also you have to promise that riding a bike won't turn you into a D!ck. Red octagon = stop. Red light = stop. Don't overtake cars trying to turn right. etc.
 
I was in china and used an electric bike around the Beijing area. Good mode of transport if you didn't want to resort to walking or buses. It was mostly flat where I was so I'm not sure how well they perform down or up hill.
 
I bought a bike for SHTF but I am not riding that thing until I absolutely have to - I agree with RicInOR - bike riders are d!cks. I won't become one until SHTF.
 
Does "stash at work" = secure?

Also you have to promise that riding a bike won't turn you into a D!ck. Red octagon = stop. Red light = stop. Don't overtake cars trying to turn right. etc.

Yeah, there's a place inside to lock it up at work. Parking my motorcycle costs $4 (cheap for downtown), and there are occasional dry days when I ride it just for fun. But I want to do the bike thing, too, and get some health benefits from pedaling both ways - without vapor locking on my hill in the evenings.

Couldn't agree more that WAY too many bicyclists assume an obnoxious aura of self-righteous invincibility, making motorists hate everyone on 2 wheels, guilty or not.

Sporting a neon yellow jersey and a couple of epileptic seizure-inducing strobe lights does NOT justify the bonehead bike maneuvers I see every single day (in town and out in the sticks). My favorite A-hole on-a-bicycyle stunt is what I call "the Trimet" - signal with or without looking and pull out directly in front of 35-50 mph oncoming traffic. So sticking your hand out WHILE you abruptly cut off cars and trucks makes it okay???

I'm not saying that motorists are blameless in this dumb*ss equation (handheld cell phone use and texting behind the wheel both SUCK). But you don't have to be a rocket surgeon to figure out who'll drive away unharmed from that collision regardless of who caused it.

I figured the thread would probably go this way, and here I am weighing in too! I can only assure you guys that I'm courteous on my bike and I make a point of fitting in with traffic. I'm just hoping to get a few ideas about electric bicycles here from everyday riders who've actually used them.
 
The electric wheel concept reminds me of the old BSA "Winged Wheel" from the 50s. It was a small 2 stroke motor, clutch, etc all built into a generic bicycle wheel. You would buy just the loaded wheel and mount it on your bike. Some things never change.
 
The electric wheel concept reminds me of the old BSA "Winged Wheel" from the 50s. It was a small 2 stroke motor, clutch, etc all built into a generic bicycle wheel. You would buy just the loaded wheel and mount it on your bike. Some things never change.

In the 70's, my dad had a little 2-stroke motor on one of his bikes. You'd yank a lever up to lower the drive roller onto the front wheel. That would pop-start the motor, which had a little thumb throttle. Not super quick or powerful, but lots of fun. He traded it away for a kayak or another bike or something. I wish he'd kept it. I'm not sure I'd commute with it, but it would be fun to goof around with.
 

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